Music superstar Ed Sheeran has extended his sponsorship deal with the club he supports, Ipswich Town.
The 31-year-old lives in Suffolk and is a Tractor Boys fan. He began sponsoring the shirts of both the men's and women's team in the 2021-22 season.
He was even given a squad number last season, being pictured wearing a shirt with the number 17 emblazoned below his name. Sheeran, from Framlingham, played a live-streamed gig at the club's Portman Road ground in June 2021, when Covid restrictions meant it had to be played behind closed doors.
“I am delighted to be sponsoring Ipswich Town for another season," said the musician after extending the sponsorship deal which will see his Mathematics tour logo appear on the strips.
“The Club and the local community mean a lot to me, and I always try to get back to Portman Road whenever I’m back in Suffolk. See you next season.”
Town CEO Mark Ashton said: “It is fantastic that Ed has agreed to continue his sponsorship of the first-team shirts. Ed is a passionate fan of the Club and the community of Suffolk. We will continue to work with him and his team to build what is already a strong and exciting relationship. We are grateful for his continued support, and we look forward to welcoming him to Portman Road again soon.”
Town say last season they sold more home shirts than they had done for 15 years, including more than double the number that were sold for the 2020/21 campaign.
Ipswich finished a disappointing 11th in League One last season, as they missed out on the play-offs for the third consecutive season since relegation in 2019. Former Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna was hired as head coach by the Tractor Boys in December following the sacking of previous boss Paul Cook.
The Liverpudlian was axed in December after just nine months in charge. Under McKenna, they have lost just four of 23 games and will be targeting a much better campaign in 2022-23. They have already added to the squad with the additions of Dominic Ball and Freddie Ladapo from QPR and Rotherham respectively.
Ex-United goalkeeper Lee Grant has also joined McKenna's coaching staff following his retirement at the end of last season.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for me, and I am really looking forward to it," Grant said after being named as a first team coach.
"I feel really blessed that I have been able to make the decision to retire and go straight into an exciting role with Ipswich Town. Over the last few years, I have been preparing for this moment by obtaining my coaching licences, expanding my network and working on a business degree."
The League One fixtures are out on Thursday, June 23 with the season beginning on the weekend of July 30 and 31.
